A copy of the presentation from the SHARE in the Shed Green Growth Plan Update (15 September) can be viewed here

Our final submission on the strategic assessment can be downloaded here. Attachment A (the PHCC’s proposal for extensions to the Peel-Yalgorup System Ramsar site and the State Government’s response) can be downloaded here.

The public comment period is now closed.

Overview of SAPPR

Click here for an overview of the Strategic Assessment of the Perth and Peel Regions on the Department of Premier and Cabinet website. PHCC update (August 2015): Download here

February 2016 public forum

The Peel-Harvey Catchment Council hosted a public forum on Thursday 11 February in Mandurah. The forum included a presentation by Simon Taylor from the Department of Premier and Cabinet and a question and answer session with government agency representatives. More than 90 people were in attendance. A copy of Simon’s presentation can be downloaded here. After the public forum concluded, participants were invited to provide any outstanding questions for the Department of Premier and Cabinet. The compiled questions have now been provided to the Department, and we have asked them to respond as soon as possible. A copy of the questions can be downloaded here. The Department’s responses can be downloaded here.

In the media

On 16 February 2016, the Peel-Harvey Catchment Council’s chairman Andy Gulliver spoke with Radio 6mm Focus On The Peel host Paddi Creevey and The Drive Through host Peter Rowe about the Green Growth Plan. As Andy Gulliver says in this podcast ‘…let’s be an informed community that contributes to its own future!’ For the podcast, click here.

Community Information Session held on 21 March 2016:

We hosted a second community information event with environmental impact assessment and legal experts Angus Morrison Saunders (Murdoch University), Nicole Matthews (Cameron Strategies) and Patrick Pearlman (EDOWA). For speaker bios click here. The event focused on four important questions:

What does a good strategic assessment look like?

How can we tell if the current strategic assessment ‘stacks up’?

What strategies can we use to measure or weigh-up the pros and cons (impacts)?

Understanding the impacts – are they acceptable?

Tips on how to make your submission most effective

Patrick discussed the EDO’s perspective on the Green Growth Plan documents including the impact assessment documents that have been provided by the DPC. The EDO has concerns about the plan, including the scale and severity of impacts on Black Cockatoos, the security of land reserved as conservation estate with respect to mining/exploration tenements, some potential inconsistencies in the provided mapping and the need for additional background information. The EDO’s forthcoming white paper is due to be released at the end of March. For more information about the white paper (and to contribute to their crowd funding campaign) check out their website here. Angus discussed the strategic assessment from the WA perspective, including an inspiring discussion of the role and opportunity for public involvement in environmental impact assessment as set out under the Environmental Protection Act 1986. To view Angus’s presentation Download here. Nicole discussed the strategic assessment in the context of the Australian Government’s environmental impact assessment law and policy. Included in her presentation was an excellent overview of the strategic assessment Terms of Reference as a benchmark for evaluating the Green Growth Plan documents (Appendix C and D in particular). She also gave practical tips on how to make your submission most effective. To view Nicole’s presentation Download here.

What did we learn?

Under the Environmental Protection Act 1986, you have the right to have your say on the plan, and the right to a response. The law gives citizens the power to shape the outcome of the strategic assessment. We urge you to write a submission: whether it’s to support the things you like, and/or to suggest alternatives to the things you don’t.

The very basis of the Environmental Protection Act 1986 is its five principles. Check out Angus’s presentation (especially slide 4) to find out more.

When writing a submission, make it clear what you do support and what you don’t. For more tips check out Angus’ and Nicole’s presentations. Where possible, you should clearly explain:

What you do/don’t like

Why you do/don’t like it

What evidence you have to support your opinion, and

A suggested alternative.

The strategic assessment documents must ‘stack up’ against existing policies. The Commonwealth Offsets Policy and the WA Offsets Policy may be useful if you have concerns about the scale of impacts and what is proposed as compensation.

The strategic assessment Terms of Reference set the scope and is helpful if you are interested in whether or not it ‘stacks up’. The Agreement between the Commonwealth and the State (Appendix C) and the Endorsement Criteria (Appendix D) are especially relevant.

By law, impact assessments must consider alternatives. This means that the proposed development (the combined classes of actions) are not locked in, and that you have the opportunity to suggest alternatives. You may be interested in:

A number of alternatives were proposed by the Department of Planning, including a compact urban growth scenario that would avoid any further vegetation clearing for urban development.

The Shire of Murray have worked with other local governments in our region to develop an alternative development proposal as they are unsatisfied with the one proposed. Read the report from the March council meeting here. Contact the Shire of Murray on 9531 7777 for more information.

The population viability assessment report for Carnaby’s Black Cockatoo was prepared by the WA Department of Parks and Wildlife (and was the subject of recent news reports). It employs a predictive model to estimate impacts on Carnaby’s populations under various development scenarios, and describes alarming consequences for the species. The report can be downloaded here.

The strategic assessment needs to take into account any recovery plans that exist for species and communities that may be affected by the proposed development. Some important ones include (click to view):

Gary Middle is the Director of VisionEnvironment, with more than 30 years of experience in environment planning, sustainability planning, coastal planning, policy and governance, open space planning, environmental impact assessment (EIA), strategic environmental assessment (SEA) and climate change governance. He is also an independent member of the Western Australian Planning Commission. He has prepared an ‘unofficial summary’ that can be downloaded from his website here.

The EDO are preparing an expert opinion report on the Green Growth Plan. Check out their website here for more info.